AP Physics Exam

[Anonymous]

First time taking AP exams for Freshman. Anyone have any advise on how to prepare? Teacher distributed a review packet and will work on that. From the sounds of it from this forum, Freshmen do not perform well on this exam.

[Anonymous]

If you are talking AP Physics 1, very few perform well on the exam. Only 23% with 4 or 5, and 58% failing with 2 or 1.
https://allaccess.collegeboard.org/ap-physics-1-exam-2021-results

Preparation for any AP exam should be happening all year. After every unit, summarize main points of that unit and go over things that were difficult with the teacher. After a couple of units, review the earlier ones. If you don't keep refreshing and building understanding, by the end it is too big of a task. However, if that is where your freshman is now, they should complete any review offered by teacher and use the resources in the AP Classroom (tons of videos reviews available). There are plenty of other review resources on Youtube. I like Flipping Physics https://www.flippingphysics.com/ap-physics-1-review.html .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are talking AP Physics 1, very few perform well on the exam. Only 23% with 4 or 5, and 58% failing with 2 or 1.
https://allaccess.collegeboard.org/ap-physics-1-exam-2021-results

Preparation for any AP exam should be happening all year. After every unit, summarize main points of that unit and go over things that were difficult with the teacher. After a couple of units, review the earlier ones. If you don't keep refreshing and building understanding, by the end it is too big of a task. However, if that is where your freshman is now, they should complete any review offered by teacher and use the resources in the AP Classroom (tons of videos reviews available). There are plenty of other review resources on Youtube. I like Flipping Physics https://www.flippingphysics.com/ap-physics-1-review.html .

Thank you. Circular motion and gravitation was a weak spot. Otherwise, she earned all As. Is it still worth taking, if you receive a 3 or lower?

[Anonymous]

It is always worth taking the exam for the experience. Study and try to do your best.
In my opinion AP Physics 1 is not a great class for freshmen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is always worth taking the exam for the experience. Study and try to do your best.
In my opinion AP Physics 1 is not a great class for freshmen.

From the link:

t’s also important to honor the work of students who did not qualify for a score of 3+, but who nonetheless developed basic understandings and skills in the course. As a reminder, the most recent research on students who achieve a score of 2 in AP Physics 1 found that they proceed to earn significantly higher grades when taking the course in college than students with the same high school GPA, SAT score, race, and gender. And these outcomes are stronger for AP Physics 1 students who receive a 2 than they are for students receiving 2s in most other AP subjects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is always worth taking the exam for the experience. Study and try to do your best.
In my opinion AP Physics 1 is not a great class for freshmen.

Obviously you are not part of the Blair science team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is always worth taking the exam for the experience. Study and try to do your best.
In my opinion AP Physics 1 is not a great class for freshmen.

Obviously you are not part of the Blair science team.

What a completely unhelpful post.

OP, Khan Academy has free AP Physics 1 videos. It's also not too late to order an AP Physics review book -- I am partial to the Five Steps to a 5 line -- and have your kid put in some review time every day. There's what, about a month to the test? Doing 15-30 minutes of review and study a day between now and the exam would make a huge difference.

It's definitely worth taking the exam. Scores don't have to be reported to colleges. But you only get one shot at taking the exam so you might as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is always worth taking the exam for the experience. Study and try to do your best.
In my opinion AP Physics 1 is not a great class for freshmen.

Obviously you are not part of the Blair science team.

What a completely unhelpful post.

OP, Khan Academy has free AP Physics 1 videos. It's also not too late to order an AP Physics review book -- I am partial to the Five Steps to a 5 line -- and have your kid put in some review time every day. There's what, about a month to the test? Doing 15-30 minutes of review and study a day between now and the exam would make a huge difference.

It's definitely worth taking the exam. Scores don't have to be reported to colleges. But you only get one shot at taking the exam so you might as well.

Thank you, this is very helpful. Stupid question: you can't take the test again (or most just don't want to)?

[Anonymous]

I've never heard of retakes -- it's not like the ACT or SAT where you can try for a higher score.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've never heard of retakes -- it's not like the ACT or SAT where you can try for a higher score.

Sure you can. You pay to take the AP exam in a future year, self study, and take it again. It’s a ridiculous thing to do IMO, but I know kids who weren’t satisfied with a 4 and wanted a 5 who have done that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is always worth taking the exam for the experience. Study and try to do your best.
In my opinion AP Physics 1 is not a great class for freshmen.

Obviously you are not part of the Blair science team.

I am not. I teach at a different school and don’t quite understand the Blair approach

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is always worth taking the exam for the experience. Study and try to do your best.
In my opinion AP Physics 1 is not a great class for freshmen.

Obviously you are not part of the Blair science team.

I am not. I teach at a different school and don’t quite understand the Blair approach

I appreciate your helpful posts, Science Teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is always worth taking the exam for the experience. Study and try to do your best.
In my opinion AP Physics 1 is not a great class for freshmen.

+1 AP exams are the only opportunity for MCPS students to practice taking timed cumulative tests.